Flexible work tray for heattreating furnaces



Nov, 16, 1948,

FLEXIBLE worm TRAY FOR HEAT TREATING FURNACES Filed May-8, 194s INVENTOR. HAREILD E Jmmscm H. F. JACKSON 2,453,845

Patented Nov. I6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE .WORK TRAY FOR HEAT- TREATING FURNACES Harold F. =liackson, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Steel Foundry Company, Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 8, 1946, Serial N 0. 658,116

The object of the invention is the provision of a tray of this character having a plurality of sections, preferably a center and two opposing side sections, for running respectively on the center and side supporting rails of a three-rail track, with the sections connected for relative movements and with at least the side sections made of separate pieces loosely joined together to permit warping and twisting of the sections without strain or liability of breakage in use.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sectional tray embodying the invention, in pushing abutment against another tray partially shown; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, with the supporting railsin cross-section; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the various parts of the tray in disassembled relation with some parts broken away and some removed, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4- -4 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I designates the center rail and 2, ,2 the side rails of a track extending through a heat treating oven, and 3 the material carrying tray which rests on the rails and is guided thereby for movement through the oven.

The tray 3 comprises a center or body part 4 forming a runner for resting on the center rail l, a plurality of side bars 5 projecting in sets from each side of the part 4, and loosely connected thereto for limited relative movements, and a side runner E at the outer end of each set of bars 5 loosely connected thereto and adapted to rest on the respective side rail 2.

The runner or center part 4 is of skid-bar form to rest on the center rail 1 lengthwise thereof and preferably has its ends turned up, as at 1. Provided on the top of this bar in rigid or integral connection therewith, with their ends preferably projecting beyond the same, are a plurality of spaced parallel slat-like cross-bars 8 with their flat sides facing each other. The end bars of this set are spaced, in the present instance, from the turned-up end parts I.

The side bars 5 are parallel and of slat-like form, and extend at their inner ends into registering spaces between or at the sides of said cross- 4 Claims. (01. 26347) .versely spaced rods 10 paralleling the runner] bars 8 at their adjacent ends, and are connected thereto for free relative vertical rocking and transverse twisting movements by a pair of trans- The rod-receiving openings in both the crossbars 8 and the side bars 5 are larger than the diameter of the rods, and those in the cross-bars are preferably vertically elongated to allow for a reater vertical than horizontal movement of the rods therein. The spacing of the rods I0 is lengthwise of the connected bars or transversely of the runner 4, and the innerends of the side bars 5 preferably, but not necessarily, rest freely on the adjacent side edges of the runner. It is thus apparent that the vertical rocking movements of the bars 5 relative to the cross-bars 8 are limited mainly by the cooperating action of the rods Ill and to some extent by the coaction of the bars 5 with the center runner. In the present instance, the two outer side bars 5 lap the outer sides of the respective outer cross-bars 8 and enter the spaces between such bars 8 and the turned-up ends 1, while the intermediate side bars 5 extend between the members of the spaced pairs of bars 8. The rods Ill are retained in assembled relation with the cross and side bars by the provision thereon of annular shoulders or ribs H in position to coact with certain of the cross-bars 8.

Each runner bar 6 is of substantially fiat form to adapt it to rest on a respective side rail 2, and is provided at its outer edge with a depending flange l2, for guiding engagement with the rail. On .the top of the bar are provided a plurality of upstanding cross-ears or flanges l3 corresponding in position and spacing to the parts I and cross-bars 8 of the center runner 4. To these ears are loosely attached the outer ends of the side bars 5 by a rod l4 held in assembled relation thereto by shoulders I 5 thereon. The openings l6 in both the bars and the ears through which the rods I4 extend are larger than the rods to permit free lost motion movements thereof, and the ear openings are preferably vertically elongated.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the provision of the multiple parts forming the tray and the loose manner of connecting such parts permit both pivotal and various twisting movements of the side tray portions, so as to permit the tray to adapt itself to any unevenness in the supporting rails over which traveling and also to prevent warping or distortion of the tray under varying heat conditions and consequent breakage when subjected to stresses or when heavy materials are supported thereby.

It is found in practice that the best results in preventing breakage of a tray are obtained by combining a relative vertical pivotal action of opposing side parts thereof with a loose connection of the members forming such parts, whereby the structure is sufiiciently rigid to support heavy inaterials and is sufficiently flexible and loosely connected to accommodateitself to'any uneven: ness in the supporting rails or difference in their levels, and to the difierences in expansion and:

contraction to which subjected in use, and thus be able to Withstand the varying temperatures and resulting stresses and shocks imposed'thereon without permanent warpageor breakage.

I wish it understood that my invention; is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capableof numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, anddesire to. secure by United a side runnerhavingloose pivotal. connection with the outer. ends .ofthe'bars. at each side ofthe center runner.

2. Ina Work trayfortiurnaoes, acenterrunner and side runners for: riding.,.respectively on, cen-- ter andlside.supporttrailsra center set of cross bars mounted on,andlrigidlyiattachedIto said centermernber in spacedtrelation lengthwise of the member. with. their..-endsprojecting beyond the respective sides thereof; aside set :of. cross barsat, each sidevofl thecenter-runner lapping theadjacent ends. of. .someat-least-iof saidcenter. setof .bars andhaving-multiple longitudinally spaced lost. motion. connectiontherewithfor reiative vertical movements andmhavingvtheirouter; ends in flexible jointconnection with,.the respective side member;

3.. In a-threeerail supported work trayior fur naces, a center runner and opposing side runners for riding on respective supporting rails, said center runner having rigidly connected transverse projections at its sides spaced lengthwise of the runner, a plurality of side bars at each side of the center runner and lapping certain of said projections and loosely connected. at their outer ends to the respective side runner, and means connecting the ends of said side bars to the respective projections in spaced relation length-- wise thereof to permit limited relative vertical movements of the side bars and projections transverse to the center runner.

4; In a three-rail supported work tray for furnaces, acenter runner and opposing side runners, the. center runner having a set of center cross bars fixed thereto and projecting transversely from the respective sides of the runner in spaced relation lengthwise thereof, the side runners each having a series of lugs projecting upwardly therefrom. and f orrning, a plurality I of transverse spaces lengthwise thereof, aplurality.

of side bars at each sideof the center runner with each bar at its inner. end entering a different space between said projection andresting on the.

center runner. and at its-outerv end entering a different spaceibetween saidilugs-and resting on the respective side runner, a rod foreach side runner projecting through. the lugs-thereof and the side bars .to.loosely connect-them together, andtwo rods projected through-the projecting ends of said center bars andlthe-inner ends ofthere- REFERENCES. CITED The following; references:are of record in" the fileof this-patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 2,022,283 1 Harris Nov. 26., 1935 2,145,258: Harris.- Jan. 31, 1939 2,145,708 Blaney Jan. 31, 1939" 2,148,464-- Harris. Feb..28, 1939 

